PILOT KNOB OR IMPERIAL DAM? and a Rant

We have been parked on the 2 week boondocking area of Pilot Knob for 10 days now and were thinking that maybe we would move somewhere else in the area. We have overstayed every year for the past 5 years and no one has ever told us it was time to leave. We have been joined by two other rigs now. One couple we met here last year and are in fact from Langley, BC. We haven’t seen anyone from the third rig.

Yesterday we decided to take a drive out to the Imperial Dam boondocking area just north of Yuma. We have heard mixed reviews from different rvers. We wanted to weigh the pros and cons before we made any decision. Of course one thing against it right off the bat is that it is 25 miles from Yuma and here we are only 7 miles from Yuma.

To get to the boondocking area you drive through the Yuma Proving Grounds which is where the American military tests their equipment. Some pretty scary stuff. We laughed at the road sign though.

There are several different areas to explore. None of the areas are free. Pilot Knob 2 week area is free. You either pay $180 for a season pass or $40 for 2 weeks. When we eventually found the main boondocking area it was very bleak. Flat, no trees and very rocky. The majority of the rigs there at this time of year are quite obviously there for the season. Some rigs have several shelters, have “rocked off” their sites and even have MAILBOXES. The woman in the visitors’ center was not friendly and at first didn’t even mention the $40 for 2 weeks pass. There were some pluses. There are three dump stations, washrooms here and there and even a very pleasant picnic area. We drove around and found a couple of less populated, more treed areas. There are burros everywhere. Is that a positive or a negative? We were told that there are also coyotes galore and snakes.

All and all, we have decided to stay put. Until someone (park host) comes to tell us to leave we will be here. We will be checking in at the Escapee park, Rovers’ Roost in Casa Grande on December 4th. This is where we have always spent the month of December. It’s like our home. Lots of friends, lots of activities. I just need to tone it down and not burn out. 
 

Santa and Mrs. Santa and Doug - the elf

We are hoping that our youngest son, Graeme, is going to come for a few days at Christmas. We are working on it. He is saving and we are going to help him out. He has never expressed the wish to come so we are pretty excited. 



OKAY NOW FOR MY RANT

We will be quitting Verizon in the new year. Yesterday we made our third visit to one of their stores. We have now found out that there is no way to pay (top up) our MiFi on-line. How ridiculous!!! A company that provides internet service but not the ability to pay on the internet. Even their staff was not aware of this. So for us travelers, you better hope that you are somewhere you can visit a Verizon store to use their payment kiosk. Of course you can call their 1-800 number but we all know what that’s like. The other day I called them and got disconnected. Our Verison MiFi was a gift from very dear friends. It works very well and has the most coverage of any of the competitors but there are many internet providers out there.

PS – This morning I had to call the infamous 1-800 because the money that I applied at the kiosk in the store had not been added. Imagine, now you have to phone in order to claim your own money. I have a cold and the operator kept saying “I cannot understand you. Your connection is really bad. Can you please call back on a land line?” WTH land line, you’re joking.